Supercharger for internal combustion engine



Sept. 24, 1963 P. LANDRUM SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 10, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvrba Porter LanJrum.

3,104,656 SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 10, 1961 P. LANDRUM Sept. 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By Po-rfer LarLJrum. W 5 12-1,

HH'o r n e gs United States Patent 3,104,656 SUPERCHARGER 1 6B INTERNAL COMBUSTIGN ENGDJE Porter Landrurn, Birmingham, Ala, assignor of twentyfive percent to Hugh P. Carter and Woodford R. Thompson, 31:, jointly, both of Birmingham, Ala.

Filed Mar. ll), 1961, Ser. No. 94,810 6 Claims. (Cl. 12373) This invention relates to an internal combustion engine and more particularly to a supercharger for an internal combustion engine comprising a rotary valve or impeller for compressing and storing the fuel mixture before it reaches the cylinder.

Heretofore, in superchargers for internal combustion engines, the fuel mixture has been pressurized by the use of an impeller which increases the flow of fuel to the cylinder or crankcase and provides a continuous flow of fuel to the crankcase or cylinder regardless of the position of the piston. When the fuel intake port for the cylinder is closed in the prior art devices, the fuel is continuously fed to the crankcase.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a supercharger for an internal combustion engine to increase the charge to the cylinder comprising a rotary valve driven in timed relation to the crankshaft in which the fuel mixture is stored and compressed with the fuel being discharged therefrom to the crankcase only at a predetermined interval. This allows the fuel to be compressed or stored within the rotary valve by centrifugal force when the fuel is not being discharged therefrom and upon discharge of the fuel from the valve, the fuel is packed in the crankcase.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine comprising an impeller having a circumferential wall forming an enclosure in which fuel may be compressed and stored by centrifugal force and an opening in the wall registering with a fuel discharge opening tothe crankcase at a predetermined position so that fuel may be discharged from the rotary valve into the crankcase to pack fuel therein when the fuel intake port for the cylinder is closed.

An additional detailed object is to provide a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine having an impeller with a circumferential wall extending thereabout with an opening in the wall for approximately 90 or A of its circumference, and a pair of vanes extending from the wall with one vane having its outer end dis posed substantially centrally of the opening to divide the enclosure into two connecting chambers. The wall opening registers with a discharge opening to the crankcase at a predetermined position to permit fuel to flow to the crankcase during /2 of the rotation of the valve. The wall opening is out of register with the discharge outlet for /2 of the rotation of the valve to stop the flow of fuel from the valve to the crankcase and to permit fuel to be stored and compressed within the valve by centrifugal force. Once fuel is packed within the crankcase by the rotary valve and the openings are out of register, the piston further compresses the fuel on its downward stroke until the fuel intake ports for the cylinder are opened. Further, the flow of fuel from the carburetor to the valve is substantially constant at all times since fuel is fed into the rotary valve continuously thereby holding to a minimum the pulsating of flow through the carburetor.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of my improved rotary valve driven in timed relation from a crankshaft;

, 3,104,656 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 ice FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. -1 and showing the position of the rotary valve immediately before the valve outlet registers with the'craukcase opening to discharge fuel into the crankcase;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the rotary valve in full registered position with the discharge opening of the crankcase and the piston being shown in position before it reaches top dead center, the vane of the rotary valve being positioned centrally of the valve outlet;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the rotary valve immediately after the discharge outlet is closed and out of registration with the discharge opening to the crankcase and showing the piston on its downward stroke;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the position of the opening in the rotary valve immediately after the exhaust port opens and immediately before the fuel intake port for the cylinder opens during downward movement of the piston;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the bottom dead center position of the piston with the exhaust ports and fuel intake ports for the cylinder fully open and the outlet of the rotary valve closed;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line 77 of FIG.'2 and showing the fuel transfer passage of the cylinder and the piston; and,

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the line 88 of FIG. 6 and showing the fuel intake ports and the exhaust ports for the cylinder fully open.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in FIG. 1 a carburetor indicated generally by dotted lines at 10. Carburetor 16 is connected to a suitable fuel supply (not shown) and communicates with the fuel inlet 11 for a rotary valve indicated generally by the numeral 12. Inlet 11 has a butterfly valve 13 positioned therein to control the flow of fuel to rotary valve 12 from carburetor '10.

An internal combustion engine, preferably a two cycle engine, is indicated generally by the numeral 17 and has a cylinder 16 and a spark plug 18 at the upper end of cylinder 16. A reciprocating piston 19' is connected to crankshaft 21 by connecting rod 22. Crankshaft 21 is positioned within crankcase 23 which forms a storage chamber for the fuel after it is discharged from valve 12.

A shaft 24 for rotary valve 12 has a sprocket 26 thereon. Crankshaft 21 has a sprocket 27 thereon and a timing sprocket chain 28 connects sprockets 26 and 27. Thereby, rotary valve 12 is driven in timed relation to the firing of piston 19 by timing chain 28 in a one-to-one ratio as sprockets 26 and 27 are of the same diameter.

Cylinder 16 has exhaust ports 29 therein and a pair of fuel intake ports 31 communicating with fuel transfer passages 30. As shown in FIG. 5, exhaust ports 29 open slightly before fuel inlet ports 31 open on the downward stroke of piston 19. FIG. 6 shows piston 19 at the bottom dead center position with exhaust ports 29 and fuel intake ports 31 fully open and with rotary valve 12closed. My improved rotary valve is used in combination with the above structure to provide means to increase considerably the amount of fuel that is fed to a two cycle internal combustion engine. This is accomplished by storing and compressing the fuel mixture within the rotary valve by centrifugal force and then discharging the compressed mixture from rotary valve 12 into the crankcase while fuel inlet ports 31 for cylinders 16 are closed thereby to pack the fuel in the crankcase. When inlet ports '31 open, fuel rushes into cylinder 16 from the crankcase in a perpendicular relation to the surface of plate 32 and forms an enclosure into which fuel is fed. An outer an nular plate 34 is secured to wall 33 to complete the enclosure and'annular opening 36 is formed in plate 34 to provide a fuel inlet :for rotary valve 12. Acircuinferential opening 37 is provided in the circumference of wall 33 for 90 or A of the circumference of wall 33. As shown in FIG. 2, angle a is 90. Vanes 38 and 39 are secured to plate 32 and extend therefrom to plate 34. Vanes 38 and 39 slope rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of rotary valve 12. The outer end of vane 38 is positioned centrally of opening 37 and vanes 38 and 39 divide the area within rotary valve 12 into two connecting chambers into which fuel may be deflected by the vanes outwardly to the circumference of rotary valve 12 as it is fed into the valve through intake opening 36. A fuel discharge opening 42 extends through the bottom of crankcase 23 and is adapted to register with opening 37 at a predetermined position as will be explained. Shaft 24 is monuted in ball bearings 25 for rotation.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that immediately before opening 37 of rotary valve 12 registers with discharge opening 42, the position of piston 19 is at an angle b of approximately 52 with the vertical. Fig. 3 shows the position of piston 19 when circumferential opening 37 is in full registration with opening 42. Fig. 4 discloses the position of piston 19 immediately after opening 37 is out of registration with opening 42 and piston 19 is at an angle of 52 to the vertical. Thus, opening 37 is in registration with discharge outlet 42 for 180 of the rotation of valve 12.

FIG. 5 discloses opening 37 at its bottom center posi tion. FIG. 6 shows piston 19' at its bottom dead center position with exhaust ports 29 and fuel intake ports 31 fully open and with opening 37 of rotary valve 12 closed.

In operation, and beginning with the position of rotary valve 12 as shown in FIG. 4 immediately after opening 37 of valve 12 is closed, fuel is fed from carburetor 10 through inlet 36 into rotary valve 12. Rotary valve 12 rotates at the same speed as camshaft 21 for example around 8000 r.p.m.s at maximum power and a negative pressure is created at the center of rotary valve 12. Vanes 38 and 39 direct fuel fed into rotary valve 12 outwardly to its circumferenceby centrifugal force and the fuel builds up from Wall 33. It should be noted that a substantially airtight enclosure is formed within rotary valve 12 exception of course the fuel inlet when opening 37 is out of registration with discharge opening 42.

FIG. 5 shows piston 19 on its downward stroke with exhaust ports 29 partially open to remove the exhaust gasses While fuel intake ports 31 are closed. Fuel is being stored and compressed in rotary valve 12 in the position shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows rotary valve 12 in the position with piston 19 in bottom dead center relation with exhaust ports 29 and fuel intake ports 31 fully open. in the position shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 2 shows the position of piston 19 on the upward stroke thereof with the fuel intake ports 31 just being closed and immediately before opening 37 of rotary valve 12 registers with discharge outlet 42 in the bottom of crankcase 23. Thus, fuel intake ports 31 are closed when opening 37 is in registration with outlet 42. FIG. 3 shows the discharge position of rotary valve 12 with the fuel which has been compressed and stored by centrifugal force therein being shot or charged into crankcase 23 through opening 37 and discharge outlet 42. Thus, the charge is received by crankcase 23 in a compressed state and is packed within crankcase 23 until piston 19 is moved on its downward stroke below fuel intake ports 31 at which time the fuel from crankcase 23 is received in cylinder 16. Since vane 38 is positioned centrally of opening 37, the fuel is discharged from valve 12 first from one of the connecting chambers and then from the other connecting chamber, vanes 38 and 39 dividing the two connecting chambers.

Fuel is being compressed and stored in valve 12 This aids in discharging the fuel from rotary valve 12 into crankcase 23.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine which allows fuel to be fed to the engine at a greatly increased rate over that known heretofore. My rotary valve provides an enclosure in which fuel may be stored and compressed by centrifugal forces and the fuel being dis charged from the rotary valve into the crankcase at a predetermined position at which the fuel intake ports for piston 1% are closed. The rotary valve rotates in timed relation at the same speed as the crankshaft and creates a negative pressure at the center thereof into which fuel is fed from the carburetor. Vanes 38 and 39 direct the fuel fed into rotary valve 12 outwardly against the circum an opening in the crankcase at a predetermined position to discharge the fuel into the crankcase While the fuel intake ports for the cylinder are closed. Even though the respective openings of the valve and crankcase are out of register, fuel is fed continuously from the carburetor to the valve in a substantially constant rate of flow thereby eliminating to a large extent the pulsating of flow through the carburetor. 7

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed 1. The combhiation with a two cycle internal combostion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft mounted in said crankcase with a piston operatively connected to the crankshaft for reciprocation within a cylinder, of a rotary impeller driven in timed relation by the crankshaft, said impeller having a circumferential wall with an opening through a circumferential portion of the wall and defining an enclosure for storing and compressing fuel, a fuel inlet in alignment with the axis of rotation of the impeller and in fiuid communication with the enclosure throughout the rotation of the impeller, and a discharge outlet to the crankcase from the impeller adapted to register with the impeller opening in an open position to permit a gaseous fuel to how therethrough, a vane on said impeller having its outer end positioned intermediately of said impeller opening, said impeller receiving and compressing the fuel within its circumferential wall by centrifugal force when the discharge outlet is out of register,

with the impeller opening and discharging the fuel from the impeller to the crankcase when the discharge outlet is open.

tion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft mounted in said crankcase with a piston operatively connected to the crankshaft for reciprocation within a cylinder, of a rotary impeller driven in timed relation by the crankshaft, said impeller having a circumferential wall with an opening through a circumferential portion of the wall, a fuel inlet adjacent the axis of rotation of the impeller, and a discharge outlet to the crankcase from the impeller adapted to register with the impeller opening in an open position to permit a gaseous fuel to flow therethrough and to be in a closed position when out of register, a pair of spaced vanes on said impeller sloping rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the impeller, one of said vanes having its outer end positioned substantiallyv centrally of said impeller opening with said opening comprising approximately of the circumferential wall of the piston, and said pair of vanes dividing said impeller into chambers with the fuel within the chambers being compressed by centrifugal force when the impeller opening is closed and being discharged into the crankcase when the impeller opening is open.

3. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having a crankcase, a crankshaft mounted in said crankcase and a connecting cylinder, of a rotary valve driven in timed relation by the crankshaft, a fuel inlet in axial alignment with the axis of rotation of the rotary valve, said valve comprising a generally flat circular back plate having a circumferential wall extending perpendicularly to the face of the plate to form an enclosure about the plate for storing and compressing fuel, and a discharge outlet adjacent the rotating valve communicating with the crankcase, said wall having a circumferential opening adapted to register with said discharge outlet during at least a portion of its rotation to permit a gaseous fuel to flow from the valve to the crankcase, a vane on said back plate having its outer end positioned intermediately of said circumferential opening to divide the fuel as it is discharged from the rotary valve, said circumferential opening being in register with said discharge outlet before the top dead center position of a piston in said cylinder, and said rotary valve being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet continuously and receiving and compressing fuel received from said fuel inlet by centrifugal force when the circumferential opening is out of register with said discharge outlet.

4. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having a crankcase and a crankshaft mounted in said crankcase with a piston operatively connected to the crankshaft for reciprocation within a cylinder, an exhaust port in the wall of the cylinder, a fuel intake port for the cylinder disposed beneath the exhaust port, of a rotary valve driven in timed relation by the crankshaft, a fuel inlet in axial alignment with the axis of rotation of the rotary valve, said rotary valve comprising an impeller having a back plate and a circumferential wall extending generally perpendicularly to the plate to form a fuel receiving enclosure about the plate in continuous fluid communication with the fuel inlet so that fuel may be continuously stored wtihin the valve, a discharge outlet in the crankcase communicating with the fuel inlet port in the cylinder and said circumferential wall having a circumferential opening extending approximately 90 of its circumference, said wall opening commencing its registration with the discharge outlet of the crankcase to permit fuel to flow from the valve to the crankcase when the piston closes the fuel inlet port on its upward stroke, said wall opening being out of registration with said fuel outlet to stop the flow of fuel from the valve to the crankcase be fore the piston reaches the exhaust port on itsdownward stroke, and said rotary valve receiving and compressing fuel by centrifugal force when the circumferential opening is out of register with said discharge port.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which a vane is positioned on the back plate and has its outer end positioned substantially centrally of said circumferential opening to divide the fuel as it is discharged from the rotary valve.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, a crankshaft mounted in the crankcase and connected to a piston reciprocating Within a cylinder having an exhaust port and a fuel intake port, of a rotary valve having a back plate and a circumferential wall extending in a generally perpendicular relation to the surface of the back plate to define an enclosure, said wall having a circumferential opening through approximately of its circumference, a fuel inlet in alignment with the axis of rotation of the valve and in fluid communication with the enclosure during the entire revolution of the valve, a vane in said valve having its outer end positioned intermediately of said circumferential opening and directing fuel from said fuel inlet outwardly to the circumferential wall, and a discharge outlet to the crankcase from the valve adapted to register with the circumferential opening when the fuel intake port of the cylinder is closed to permit fuel to pack Within the crankcase, said circumferential opening being out of register with said discharge outlet for approximately one-half of the rotation of the valve whereby fuel is stored and compressed within the valve by centrifugal force.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,923 Johnson et a1. Aug. 1, 1933 2,011,804 DuBois Aug. 20, 1935 2,215,030 Ohastain et a1. Sept. 17, 1940 2,529,864 Brevard Nov. 14, 1950 2,839,036 Strang June 17, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,089 'France Aug. 25, 1913 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A TWO CYCLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A CRANKCASE AND A CRANKSHAFT MOUNTED IN SAID CRANKCASE WITH A PISTON OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE CRANKSHAFT FOR RECIPROCATION WITHIN A CYLINDER, OF A ROTARY IMPELLER DRIVEN IN TIMED RELATION BY THE CRANKSHAFT, SAID IMPELLER HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL WALL WITH AN OPENING THROUGH A CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTION OF THE WALL AND DEFINING AN ENCLOSURE FOR STORING AND COMPRESSING FUEL, A FUEL INLET IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE IMPELLER AND IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENCLOSURE THROUGHOUT THE ROTATION OF THE IMPELLER, AND A DISCHARGE OUTLET TO THE CRANKCASE FROM THE IMPELLER ADAPTED TO REGISTER WITH THE IMPELLER OPENING IN AN OPEN POSITION TO PERMIT A GASEOUS FUEL TO FLOW THERETHROUGH, A VANE ON SAID IMPELLER HAVING ITS OUTER END POSITIONED INTERMEDIATELY OF SAID IMPELLER OPENING, SAID IMPELLER RECEIVING AND COMPRESSING THE FUEL WITHIN ITS CIRCUMFERENTIAL WALL BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE WHEN THE DISCHARGE OUTLET IS OUT OF REGISTER WITH THE IMPELLER OPENING AND DISCHARGING THE FUEL FROM THE IMPELLER TO THE CRANKCASE WHEN THE DISCHARGE OUTLET IS OPEN. 